Barotiwala industrial unit to lose power supply for causing pollution

Tribune News Service

Solan, September 13

Barotiwala-based Sylvan Green is set to face power supply disconnection for continuous non-compliance of the orders of the State Pollution Control Board.

The board’s Member Secretary issued the direction for power supply disconnection on September 10 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, as the company did not take the desired remedial measures even after two show-cause notices issued to it on July 27 and August 23.

Lgnored notices

• Residents of Kulhariwala village had complained about untreated effluents being discharged from the unit into the nearby nullah, causing widespread pollution
• The firm did not take measures even after two show-cause notices

A joint committee constituted by the NGT had also inspected the unit earlier this month. Residents of Kulhariwala village in its precincts had complained about untreated effluents being discharged from the unit into the nearby nullah causing widespread pollution.

“The inspecting team had found a slew of shortcomings in the pollution mitigation measures, including the absence of a separate drain for carrying storm water and effluents, which are often mixed and are discharged into the open nullah. No shed was constructed over the waste paper storage area, leading to leaching and its subsequent discharge into the nearby water body,” said Nalagarh SDM Mahendra Pal, who was part of the inspecting team.

“The team also found that solid waste dumped outside the industry had not been cleared and instead of sending it to an authorised facility for scientific disposal, it was dumped in the open nullah near the truck operators union office,” added Pal.

Apoorv Devgan, Member Secretary, SPCB, said, “Sylvan Greenswas given opportunities to rectify its shortcoming but to now avail. Power supply disconnection of the unit has been ordered for continuous non-compliance”.

The industry has also been directed to suspend production and not to operate on the diesel generation set or any other source of energy.

Non-compliance will attract a penalty of Rs 10,000 and imprisonment up to seven years. Earlier also, the unit had faced power supply disconnection for the non-compliance of pollution norms.